Lukashenka's Austrian lobbyist in centre of corruption scandal

The Parliament of Austria has returned to questioning of witnesses in the case over the money flow from Telekom Austria to the BZÖ party.

The money was received by party head Hubert Gorbach, a former Vice Chancellor and Transport Minister of Austria, Die Presse and Der Standard report.

The scandal over the swindle began last year. Hubert Gorbach (who was a MP in 2003-2006) was reported to have carried out a reform for the benefit of Telekom Austria and the firm paid him 264,000 euros after his resignation, Radio Svaboda says.

Media report about new details in the relations between Telekom Austria and Gorbach's BZÖ party. The Alliance for the Future of Austria received about 1 million euros only through the Schmied GmbH agency. A part of the finances was spent on electoral campaign of BZÖ's friemd, minister of justice Karin Gastinger.

Gorbach, Gastinger and other persons in the case have been denying their involvement in corruption schemes. According to Austrian media, Hubert Gorbach's secretary is to be questioned on February 15.

Hubert Gorbach, a former Vice Chancellor of Austria, BZÖ head and presently Gorbach Consulting managing director and Wintertechnik Engeneering advisor, has been recently called in Austrian media a partner and lobbyist for the Belarusian regime.

In 2004, Gorbach and then Belarusian PM Syargei Sidorski had talk in Vienna in 2004, after the Alpine vacation of Alyaksandr Lukashenka and his retinue paid by the Austrian party. Gorbach showed his interest in Telekom Austria's possible participation in Belarusian tender for mobile operators. Shortly afterwards, Telekom Austria acquired a stake in Belarusian mobile operator Velcom.

In December 2010, Gorbach was invited to the Belarusian presidential election as an observer and an “honourary figure in international politics” (as defined by Belarusian foreign minister Syarhei Martynau). Talking about the election in an interview to Belarusian and Austrian media, Gorbach noted the election was free, democratic and transparent and Lukashenka's victory was well deserved.

The Austrian MFA has recently issued a diplomatic passport to Gorbach, though he is not a member of the government and a politician, Austrian journalists note.